Billions for Bombs, Pennies for Care: Spending Review Sacrifices Social Care
The Homecare Association has today condemned the Government’s Comprehensive Spending Review and its political choices, as ministers prioritise billions on bombs and NHS expansion over the preventative care and support needed by millions of older and disabled people in our communities.
With no significant new funding to reform adult social care, no plan to address exploitative local authority commissioning, and no serious money to implement the Fair Pay Agreement, we are concerned the government is failing to recognise care as a vital part of our social infrastructure.
Dr Jane Townson OBE, Chief Executive of the Homecare Association, said:
“This Government is spending billions on bombs whilst neglecting older and disabled people in our communities. Caring for each other is a fundamental human need. Many UK citizens have a keen sense of fairness, kindness, and community. They have family and friends who need help and are struggling. Many will see this as a grotesque failure of moral and fiscal leadership.”
On the £29 billion additional investment for the NHS, Dr Jane Townson OBE said:
“We appreciate the importance of the NHS but it does not exist in isolation. If older and disabled people cannot access homecare, they end up in hospital or come to harm at home. Ambulance queues, rising A&E admissions, corridor care, long waiting lists for treatment – these are all symptoms of a government that refuses to fund our sector adequately. No amount of money directed to the NHS is going to fix this.”
Personal Independence Payment, also known as PIP, is a benefit available to people who have a long-term health condition or disability. The benefit is intended to help cover the extra costs people can face due to the impact of their condition.
